1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication system for the transmission and reception of information and data between electronic devices positioned relatively close to each other, such as wireless LAN communication or Bluetooth communication, a control method for an electronic device and a communication system, and a computer-readable storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable electronic devices such as smartphones (high-functionality portable telephones) and tablet terminals having functions conforming to short-distance wireless communication standards such as wireless LAN (Local Area Network) and Bluetooth (registered trademark) are significantly prevalent. In these electronic devices, information and data can be transmitted and received by using wireless communication between not only devices of the same type but also electronic devices of different types, such as between a smartphone or tablet terminal and a personal computer, printer, wireless LAN router, digital camera, or smartwatch.
In general, as a method for determining an electronic device that is a connection target when information and data are transmitted and received between electronic devices by using wireless communication, a method is adopted in which information regarding electronic devices that are connection candidates is acquired by using means defined by a wireless communication standard to be used, the acquired information regarding the electronic devices is displayed on a display, and an electronic device that serves as a connection target is selected and determined by a user viewing the displayed information and making a judgment.
An example of this type of connection target determining method for wireless communication is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2007-020042. In this technique, when the operation mode of an electronic camera is switched to a wireless LAN mode, profiles of computers and printers that are connection candidates are displayed in a list form on a liquid-crystal display and, by a user selecting a connection target, the electronic camera and the connection target are connected to each other via a wireless network, so that image data is transferred to the connection target.
Generally, in this type of connection target determining method, as information regarding electronic devices that are connection candidates, a plurality of pieces of technical information such as product names, type numbers, their addresses, identification information (ID) of all devices are displayed on a display in a list form.
However, with the displayed technical information list alone, the electronic devices that are connection candidates cannot be intuitively recognized. Moreover, when similar pieces of information regarding a plurality of electronic devices are displayed in a list form, it is difficult to judge which electronic device is to be selected as a connection target, and an erroneous selection may be made. As a result, connection to an unintended electronic device may be made, or connection may not be established. Problems in this connection target determining method will be described in detail later in comparative verification.